Can we spell, “Envy” children? Sad state of affairs when the mighty Microsoft cannot win converts to its DRM platform on the merits, even on its own corporate campus!
Hide Your IPod, Here Comes Bill:
Apple's music player apparently is wildly popular on Microsoft's campus. Thousands of Microsofties own the devices, to the great irritation of management. By Leander Kahney.
... “About 80 percent of Microsoft employees who have a portable music player have an iPod,” said one source, a high-level manager who asked to remain anonymous. “It's pretty staggering.”The source estimated 80 percent of Microsoft employees have a music player -- that translates to 16,000 iPod users among the 25,000 who work at or near Microsoft's corporate campus. “This irks the management team no end,” said the source.
So popular is the iPod, executives are increasingly sending out memos frowning on its use.
...
For example, an internal e-mail circular sent to several senior managers in mid-December talked about iPod shipments to Apple's nearby store in Bellingham.The e-mail said: “FWIW, the gal at the Bellevue Square Apple Store said that they are getting in two shipments of 200 iPods every day to keep up with this week's demand, and are nearly constantly selling out.”
The note prompted a curt reply from Dave Fester, general manager of the Windows Digital Media division, who wrote the group: “I sure hope Microsoft employees are not buying iPods. We have great alternatives. Check out http://experiencemore.”
Fifteen minutes later, the manager responded: “I don't know what I was thinking. I'm sure that Microsoft employees are not buying iPods, or Macs or PlayStations.”
“Apple 1 GB iPod Shuffle MP3 Player M9725LL/A” ()
